Do Not Reply

Chapter 16 || Lexi

"Alex? This is serious."

"No kidding. My daughter's missing and Georgia's dead. You've only just figured that out?!" I shout.

"Quiet! He might still be here." I whisper but he just rolls his eyes.

"After leaving this? No. He's long gone by now."

I stare at Georgia's swinging body. I'm not heartless, but I can easily say that her dead body has no effect on me. I cared for her once, but she signed up behind my back.

Did she deserve this fate? No, of course not. And it's certainly a stomach-twisting sight to see, but alas, I feel no sorrow.

Not a single tear is being shed. I'm not crying over my friend.

Which is causing Alex to stare at me accusingly.

A distant bang can be heard, which causes me to throw my head in the other direction.

Alex's face hardens.

"I can't believe you Lexi." He scowls, standing now, turning his back from his dead girlfriend to face me properly.

"Wha- What?"

"You have a twisted, dark soul. You could be The Game Master for all I know!" He yells, his eyes narrowing.

I see what Georgia means.

He's very good-looking.

But now is not the time to be fawning over a grieving, hot- No. Not going there.

I bite my lip, but he scoffs, storming out.

"Wait, Alex!" I call after him but the door slams behind him and I flinch.

I curse under my breath as he leaves me alone, and the next thing I know, there's a dagger pressing against my throat.

"If you scream, it'll be the last thing you do." A voice whispers into my ear and I gulp.

Six days earlier...

"What do you mean, gone?" I ask as Alex paces in my kitchen.

"Lucy's gone." He repeats and I try to make sense of what he's saying.

"Dead? Taken? Run away?"

"She can't walk!" He yells.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." I reply hastily and he scoffs.

"So walk me through this." I say calmly and he nods.

"I woke up at ten in the morning, made myself breakfast, and Lucy's pancakes. I went to get her and she was gone."

"Just... gone?"

"Oh, and there was a message. Looked like it was written in blood or something."

"And you only just mention this now?" I ask, raising my eyebrow and he scowls at me so I shrug my shoulders as he drags out his phone, putting in his phone pin.

He holds it out and shows me a photo.

He's right.

It looks like blood.

I WaRNeD yoU ~ tHe GamE MastEr

I frown.

"This girl does not know where to put her capitol letters." I say scornfully, earning another glare from Alex.

"My daughter's missing and that's what you're worried about?!" He screeches and I sigh.

"Alex. Calm. The. Hell. Down." I say slowly, to which he laughs.

"I'll tell you that when you have kids and they go missing."

"We'll find Lucy. I pro-"

I'm cut off by the vibration of my phone.

"Hold on." I say to Alex, unlocking my phone and staring at the text message I've been sent.

You've worked so hard, and you're one of the finalists. Congratulations Lexi! You want to end this game, don't you Lexi? Well you can end it all. To participate in the Final Round, reply. If you do not accept the invite within 24 hours, you will be eliminated, Game Master style.

~ The Game Master

"Alex?" I ask as he stares at me inquisitively.

"What is it? The Game Master?"

I nod, showing him the message.

"You have to do it Lexi!"

"What?!" I exclaim and Alex nods.

"There's a final prize for the winner. Maybe it's Lucy?"

So I type out a response.

Why should I?

The reply is instant.

You get to live.

And that's motive enough is it?

There's a moment of hesitation from The Game Master as I await a reply, but the text pops up after a minute.

I'll throw in a bonus prize, just for you. If you win, you get to live, and you get to meet me. ~ The Game Master

"Holy cra-" I start before realizing Alex has no idea what's going on.

"What?" Alex asks desperately.

"If I win the Final Round, we get to meet The Game Master. And live."

Alex hesitates and then nods.

So I type back.

I'm in.